A New Glenn rocket, like the one seen here, exploded Thursday night in Florida after experiencing an anomaly. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded on a Florida launch pad Thursday night after experiencing what the company called an “anomaly” during a hot-fire test.
“All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more,” Blue Origin said in a social media statement.
Video of the incident posted online shows the rocket standing erect on platform at Launch Complex 36 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. An explosion erupts from the bottom of the rocket and grows larger as it moves up the cylindrical rocket into a massive ball of flame and smoke that rises into the sky.
It exploded during a prelaunch engine-firing procedure known as a hot-fire test ahead of a planned launch to send 48 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit. It was to be the fourth launch of its Blue Origin rocket.
Firefighters were waiting to be deployed to the site late Thursday to start “battling fires in the woods and brush surrounding the launch pad to stop it from spreading further,” the Transport Workers Union of America said in a statement.
“The pad is still too dangerous to send in crews there,” it said. “This is an extremely hazardous situation requiring a highly trained and well coordinated response.”
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency was aware of the incident and was working with partners to support an investigation into the anomaly as well as assess near-term mission impacts, with the goal of resuming rocket launches.
It was not immediately clear what impact the explosion would have on other scheduled launches at the facility. Isaacman said NASA would provide an update on any impacts to the Artemis and Moon Base programs when available.
“Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new, heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult,” he said.
Jeff Bezos, founder and owner of Blue Origin, said it was too early to know the root cause of the explosion but that the company was already investigating.
“Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying,” he said in a social media statement.
“It’s worth it.”
Rep. Mike Haridopolos, a Republican representing the region, said he had spoken with Isaacman and was grateful there were no reported injuries.
“Praying for Florida’s Space Coast and everyone involved,” he said in a statement.
UPI has contacted the Federal Aviation Administration for comment.
The explosion is the latest setback for Blue Origin.
In April, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded New Glenn after its third launch failed to properly deploy a satellite into low-Earth orbit.
On May 22, the FAA announced that Blue Origin was cleared to resume launches, closing its investigation into the April incident.
